Twist Of Fate
by Hika-chan1
Summary: Ch 8,8 the burning 8Naraku is defeated but at a high price. But when Kagome awakens It's a month before the battle. Can she change the future and prevent the death of her love?(SessKag)
1. Prologue

They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi, not me.  
Summary: The fight w/ Naraku and all that is finally over, however a high price was paid. However when Kagome goes home and wakes up the next morning, it's not exactly the next morning. It's a month before the final battle and the day before she leaves. Can she change the outcome?  
  


**Twist of fate**  
By Hika-Chan  
**Prologue**

  
  
It was over.  
  
That was the only way she could think to describe it. Naraku was dead but the moment was ruined. She knelt next to him, his stained mane and head resting in her lap. "You can't leave me please... you can't go. Not like this." Hot tears ran down her face only to land on his, it's warmth muted by the drizzling rain that had begun. She brushed the silver hair off of his face trying to smile. "You.. you can heal from this right? You're going to be ok aren't you?" Behind her, her friends watched on in morbid shock at the turn of events. "Please please tell me you can heal from this."  
  
The corner of his lips turned up a little. He gazed up at her with slightly hazy golden eyes. "I'm sorry koishii... I don't think I can." He coughed, prompting a trickle of blood to flow from the corner of his mouth, she immediately wiped it away. "Do not worry koishii. I regret nothing." His voice was little more than a forced whisper.  
  
"Don't talk, you.. you're gonna be ok. I.. I know you are."  
  
A half-cough half-laugh escaped his lips, "You never learn do you? My time is soon, you know that as well as I."  
  
"No! you have to stay alive!" She had to think of something that would keep him here. It felt like her beating heart was being ripped from her chest. Only he would do that to her. "If you leave me I'll hate you!" she cried desperately.  
  
"You're lying," he smiled. She couldn't help but laugh slightly and nod her head. "Thank you for our time together koishii. I will always be with you and I will always love you. You know that. Be strong like I know you are." A clawed hand reached up, she took it and put it too her face. "You're fading..." he said frowning slightly his eyes were becoming more glassy.  
  
Tears falling faster she leaned in closer. "I'm here." She touched her lips to his. "Please don't leave me."  
  
"I never will," his voice was fading but she heard it even over the approaching thunder. "I love you Kagome..." He said it, she couldn't believe he said it! But why did he have to say it now!?  
  
"I love you too." She felt something leave him, she felt it go through her and leave just a little of itself behind in her. Her sobs became more uncontrolable. "But how can you leave me like this!?" She screamed his name and threw herself onto his body crying in the rain, her friends could only standby helplessly and watch.  
  
She didn't know how she was going to live after this...  
  
---------------------------------------------  
**Koishii**- "Beloved" I think... dunno really saw it in a few Kenshin Fanfics so... ^_^' 


	2. Ch 1 As You Were

They don't belong to me  
(**~*~*~**) Flashback  
(*******) Scene Change  
  


**Twist Of Fate**  
By Hika-chan  
**Chapter One: As You Were**

  
  
Kagome made her way numbly and silently to the well. After they burried him she said a last goodbye and started walking. She hadn't stopped either and now she was almost to the clearing where the well sat in mocking silence. She stopped before it placing a hand on it's wooden edge. She closed her eyes slowly took in a deep breath then jumped into the well without so much as a word.  
  
"Do you think she'll come back?" Shippo asked worry evident in his voice.  
  
"She has the Shikon no Tama," Miroku stated, "She can if she wants to... we simply need to give her some time."  
  
"I hope she returns," Sango whispered, "At least to say goodbye."  
  
The last and oldest of them remained silent simply staring at where the young miko had once stood. The others reluctantly headed back towards he village. He stood there wondering how things had happened the way they did. Fortunately he was not foolish enough to try to stop her this time. He walked over to the well where she had stood and looked into it, placing his hand where hers had previously rested. "Please return Kagome," Inu Yasha whispered, "You're my best friend... I never could have made it this far without you. I'm sorry I never told you that. At least return so I can tell you that."  
  


***  
  


Souta had learned to identify the energy of the well by now and was happy that Kagome had finally returned. It had been a month since she left and they had been worried. "Oneechan you're ba-" Souta stopped abrubtly upon seeing his sister's face. She looked utterly destroyed and tortured. She didn't even say hello as she walked straight pass him and into the house. As much as he hated to even think it she looked worse now than that time a little over a month ago from that incident before she went back. He couldn't stand the fact that she had been hurt, and he hadn't been able to do anything about it either. And it happened only a few weeks after her 17th birthday. He closed his eyes tight as he remembered when he went to visit his sister in the hospital, neither her nor their mother knew he was listening just outside the door.  
  


~*~*~  


"Mama..." his sister sounded like she was crying. Souta had not entered the room at first because one look at his battered sister nearly broke his heart. The black eye and busted lip were the most obvious but he had also been able to catch sight of a few bruises on her arms as well.  
  
"Shh... honey it'll be alright Kagome-chan. Don't worry."   
  
"Mama, Inu Yasha should be coming tomorrow, please tell him I'm sick or something. Please don't tell him what happened, him or Souta." She cried desperately, "I don't want them to know that... that... that I was...." She started crying again sobbing horribly.  
  
He peeked in the room in time to see his mother embrace Kagome. "Shhh... don't worry baby, it'll be ok.. I swear." She was crying too, he could tell. "Don't worry I'll take care of Inu Yasha." She tried to smile, "How much time do you need? I'll put the fear of mother in him."  
  
The barest of laughs escaped Kagome's lips, "Two weeks?"  
  
"Are you sure that's all you need?" she asked, "Two weeks should be easy to scare out of him."  
  
"Thank you mama...I'm..." she broke down again then, crying into their mother's chest. leaning against the wall by the door the twelve year old boy's fists clenched around the flowers in his hand, the thorns of the roses he insisted getting cutting into his skin.  


~*~*~  
  


Souta shut his eyes and shook his head. It couldn't have happened again could it? No. Inu Yasha would have saved her from anyone who would dare try harm her in anyway, he was sure of it. He looked longingly back into the house. They still didn't know he knew what had really happened to her. But what could have happened this time? Aside from some blood on her shirt which didn't seem to be hers since she was walking ok... Could it be!? He thought suddenly fear racing through his young heart, Did someone die? Did Inu Yasha- No! Inu Yasha can't die! "I'll ask her in the morning." he decided, if something like that really did happen, he was willing to give her sometime to deal with it.  
  


***  
  


Kagome sat on the center of her bed crosslegged staring blankly at one of her hands, or more acurately her wrist. She gently fingered the two inch scar that ran down her arm, breifly recalling her time of weakness which resulted in a quick return to the hospital. For a split second she debated an encore of that gruesome performance. Her eyes teared suddenly and violently as she rammed her fist into the wall. She couldn't do it, he wouldn't want her too. She couldn't help but remember that portion of his last words, "Be strong like I know you are." She curled over into a ball sobs racking her body, "But I'm not that strong," she cried hoarsly, "Not anymore.. not without you." The tears fell even after she slept.  
  


***  
  


When she awoke it was morning. She blinked as she sat up under the covers, dressed in her pajamas. She smiled bitterly Mom must have changed me and tucked me in. She looked around her room slowly, for some reason something felt... off. And for that would prove as a distraction for now. Suddenly she remembered the jewel, surprised to not find it around her neck she immediately jumped over to her desk suddenly wincing at a pain in her side. Her eyes widened, she lifted her shirt seeing the bandaged wound in her side, not far from where the Shikon no Tama had been torn. My stab wound? but that healed weeks ago! She went to her desk and opened the drawer she used to keep her shards and sure enough there the were.. the shards. What happened to the jewel? We restored it!? "Wh.. where is it! I can't believe this! He can't have died for nothing!" She slammed her fist on the desk once again to cause another pain to echo, this time in her wrist. "N.. nani?" She held up her hands and stared blankly at her bandaged wrists. "Wha.. what happened?" She gulped and looked around her room trying to determine if it looked this way when she had gone to sleep. It wasn't, the comforter was completely different, she remember the day before she left last time her mother had brought her a new one. The day before...  
  
"It can't be!" She threw open her door and rushed down stairs "Mama! Mom!"  
  
"Kagome what is it?" The older woman asked frantically catching her daughter as a spell of dizzyness hit her. "What is it what's wrong."  
  
"What's today's date?"  
  
Her mother's brow creased in confusion, "It's the 20th of April." Kagome reeled back suddenly bracing herself on the doorframe. "Kagome! Kagome what's wrong." She stared down at the floor her breathing fast, How can it be? It's the day before I went back the day before he.. we- She jumped up suddenly a smile spreading across her face. That means he's alive! "Goodness Kagome are you alright?"  
  
"EH?" She blushed and took hold of her mother, "I'm sorry mama, I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
Her mother put a hand to her head, "Are you alright dear, you seem a little... happy considering what happened last week."  
  
"Last week?" Ohh that's right... she looked down, her wrists. "I'm sorry for that to. Mom I need to tell you something."  
  
She gazed at her daughter, somewhat concerned, "Why don't I fix a little something first, do you feel up to eating?"  
  
She nodded, "sure..."  
  
A small simple brunch later Kagome brought the conversation back to the situation at hand. "Mom when I go tomorrow I don't want you to worry about me too much."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Either I had a dream or it really happened and I got sent back to today again, but I might not be able to return home for a month. I'll be a little 'stuck', but I won't be in danger I promise you." I just hope what happened before doesn't happen again.  
  
Her mother smiled at her and went to sit down in the chair beside her putting an arm around her daughter. "Thank you for telling me. I wasn't going to tell you but since you're going to be gone so long the police called this morning."  
  
"Eh? why?"  
  
"Well they found a body a few days ago, and they think... they think it was the man that... attacked you, they want you to identify him." Kagome gulped, a body? She really didn't want to... "And who knows maybe they've also found out who saved you."  
  
"Saved me?" That didn't sound right.  
  
"Don't you remember Kagome-chan? They said a young man brought you into the hospital, they said he looked very concerned but he left right afterwards."  
  
That was strange she had a vague recollection of walking a good distance after being out for who knows how long. Then woman called her a cab and the woman and the cabbie took her the rest of the way. She thought the cabbie was old. In an instant new memories flashed through her mind, much more fuzzy but someone was holding her she remembered now.. kinda. She put a hand to her head That... that's not how I remembered it before.  
  
"Kagome are you alright."  
  
She nodded unsurely, "Yeah, yeah I'll be ok... let's go to the station."  
  
"No, you need to rest, I'll call them and have them bring a picture ok?"  
  
Kagome nodded again, "I'm gonna go take a bath."  
  


***  
  


"When's Kagome coming back!?" Shippo wailed.  
  
"Will you be quiet!" Inu Yasha snapped, "Her mom said she would be back tomorrow."  
  
"She's never been gone so long without you going to drag her back. What happened?"  
  
"Nothing..." the irritated hanyou grumbled.  
  
"Sango's right," Miroku started, "What's up?"  
  
"Her mom said she was away visiting her uncle or somethin'."  
  
"For two weeks?"  
  
Inu Yasha scratched the back of his head, "Well she did kinda hint that if I didn't give her some time to make up her school work she wouldn't let me take her back."  
  
Shippo blinked, "How would she do that?"  
  
"I dunno but have you every seen Kagome's 'scary face?'" the hanyou asked. Shippo and Miroku nodded, Sango didn't seem to understand the referance. "Well her mother's is MUCH scarier. And she said something about sticking me to the tree again..."  
  


***  
  


Kagome froze, staring at the picture of a dead man. He couldn't hurt her or anyone anymore. But still seeing the picture, seeing his face again even after a month and a half, by her point of view anyway, brought back the memories of that horrible event. She stared at the grinning face as he held the little numbered sign infront of a wall marked for measuring his height. Apparently he had been arrested on prior charges but by the look on his face he knew he would get away with it. "Kagome-san?" The detective prompted cautiously.  
  
She closed her eyes and let the picture drop to the table, she bit her lip and nodded, "Un.. that's him."  
  
"If I may ask," Her mother began, "How did he die?"  
  
"We assume he was killed by Yakuza or some other organization." Detective Hikawa answered.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Due to the brutal manner in which he was killed. It seems he was forced to inhale a corrosive gas or acid, melted his lungs and even some of his face. It was an ugly sight, not that he was much better looking to begin with."  
  
"How horrible!"  
  
"He deserved it," Kagome muttered darkly.  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
"I... I'm sorry mama... it's just that-" She stopped as a hand landed on her shoulder.  
  
"It's alright Kagome... I know it's been hard for you lately. Why don't you go pack?"  
  
"Un." She squeezed her mom's hand then went upstairs.  
  
The detective leaned forward, "May I ask where she's going?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh just camping with some friends."  
  
"She's up to that?"  
  
Mrs. Higurashi smiled, "My Kagome is a couragous girl. Besides she won't be alone, and her friends miss her as much as she misses them."  
  
"I see, well Thank you for your time Higurashi-san." He stood.  
  
"Detective."  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"Did you find out who brought Kagome into the hospital?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"I would like to thank him if you ever find him."  
  
Hikawa smiled, "I will rememeber that." He began to walk out again only to stop at the door, "It is no wonder that Kagome-san is a good girl, Higurashi-san." He placed his sunglasses on and went outside closing the door behind him. She smiled then sighed, heading up stairs to have a talk with her daughter.  
  
"Kagome are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah why?"  
  
"Kagome, your whole life you've never been one to condem others. What you said out there Kagome... it wasn't you."  
  
The teen paused putting the shirt in her hands on the bed as opposed to in the bag for now. "You know what he did to me Mom, and I probably wasn't the only one." She thought back on something Kaede told her when she first arrived in Sengoku Jidai. "There are some men that are just as bad as youkai, maybe even some that are worse. The world is better off without them."  
  
"Kagome, that's not like you."  
  
"It wasn't like me. You don't really know what I went through mama. These past weeks... they've changed me." She smiled bitterly, "But not too much." She turned and look to he mother, "Who knows maybe I'll be ok in the end. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger ne?" They stood in silence for a short while before Kagome grabbed a piece of paper from her desk. "You are going shopping today right?" Her mother nodded, Kagome handed her a list a small smile growing on her face. "Could you pick up some stuff for the others for me? It's been two weeks after all I should get them something as compensation for not being in my glorious company."   
  
Her mother smiled at the joke, "Not a problem, I'll be back soon."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Ohh mysteries abound.   
I assuming you can guess what happened to Kagome and who "he" is. And yes Kagome is the only one with memories of the past/future events. For everyone else it's the first time around. 


	3. Ch 2 Nightmares of the Past

Of course I don't own them! What're you thinking?  
  
**

Twist Of Fate

**  
Chapter 2: Nightmares of the Past  
  
In the morning he watched as she headed into the wellhouse, his presence masked in several ways. He knew what would happen, had happened. He wouldn't have to worry about her for the next month. Well he could worry but she won't be around to worry for. He already hated himself for letting her get attacked, that he had been too late. But that was fate, that was how it had to happen. Sensing the swirl of mystical energy from within the wellhouse he stood from his perch on the roof and left to tend to other business.  
  


***

  
  
Kagome climbed out of the well, smiling at her friends as Shippo launched himself into her arms. "KAGOME!" the kit squealed. "We missed you Kagome!"  
  
She hugged him and grinned, "Yeah I know, I missed you too Shippo-chan."  
  
Inu Yasha was about to act as his normal brash self and ask her if she enjoyed her little vacation, but there were certain things about her that were bugging him at that moment. He looked at her clothes, which he realized were different from what she normally wore. Well she still wore a typical long sleeved shirt but it was tucked in. She also wore a pair of blue pants made of some fabric he couldn't recognize (which Kagome would later identify as denim). There weren't tight like the pants that Sango wore as part of her taija outfit, but it was definitely a far stretch from her usual short skirts. If the weather were getting cooler, which it wasn't, he would think nothing of this change in wardrobe. Her shoes were differnet too, they were white, laced and looked more secure on her feet seemingly much better for travel than the ones she normaly wore.  
  
While she was greeting Miroku and Sango he took the opportunity to pick out her distinct scent. After two years he had learned all the intricancies of his friends' scents. The slightest alteration in it could tell him what they were feeling. And now he was picking out Kagome's.  
  
He was slightly startled when he could smell some medicene on her, like that stuff she always brought back in her "first aid" kit. Kagome was wounded? This immidiately stole his attention and he promptly forgot to see about any emotional variations in her. "Kagome."  
  
Kagome smiled as she turned to him, "Don't worry Inu Yasha I didn't forget you," she said pulling a bag of potato chips out of her bag.  
  
"Can I talk to you a second Kagome?"  
  
She looked at the hanyou, "You're not just going to yell at me for staying away for two and a half weeks are you?"  
  
"No, I want to ask how you got hurt."  
  
Kagome knew the question was coming, in fact she had heard it before already. "Kagome-chan are you alright?" Sango asked.  
  
"I'm fine," she said. "When I was with my aunt and uncle I was careless." She lifted up part of her shirt to reveal the white gauze patch that was partially covered by her pants. "I tripped and fell on a rake." It was a lame excuse, she knew, but it was one that they would believe. "It's almost healed already, Mama was just being over cautious and she wants me to keep it covered until it's all healed."  
  
"Well at least someone in your family's got some brains, sure know you didn't inherit that from her."  
  
"Osuwari." WHAM! "And you certainly haven't inherited any manners either."  
  
"Kagome-sama has a point there Inu Yasha. You could learn to develope some more tact." Miroku said one hand reaching around behind San-  
  
WHAM! He then joined Inu Yasha on the ground. Sango growled at the monk, "And you houshi could do the same!"  
  
Kagome laughed, it had been too long since she could enjoy her friends' company like this. As the life around her began to degenerate into it's usual chaos Kagome relaxed into the moment, even as she found herself angrily sitting Inu Yasha. It was the comfortable famliarity of the moment that almost made her forget the days to come. But she would not have to worry about that till tomorrow.  
  


***

  
  
The nightmares had not come for sometime in her view. But tonight they were upon her again, with more ferocity and horror. At the same time it was so real it was like the first time. It was as though that they had taken their absence to learn how to be even more torturous. Surprise and fear came first, the hand of some unknown monster wrapping around her mouth and dragging her into the darkness. It was a human monster, though deformed and ugy in her subconcious eye. His snake like tounge licking the side of her face as she tried to scream against his hand. She bit down, only to feel pain across her face as he punished her for her resistance.   
  
Falling to the floor, her adventures allowed her to recover quickly and she ran. Unfortunately her fear impaired her judgment and she ran the wrong way. The beast in human guise was quick catching her and throwing her against the wall. Then white hot pain as the smooth metal found it's home in her side. "No running pet." he growled, but not in an angry way. It was crazed and lustful, which only increased her fear. As her clothes began to rip and she flailed helplessly, only to be beat upon again she prayed for oblivion, for unconciousness that her fear and pain would not allow. She cried and sobbed into the gag that kept her cries from being heard as he forced himself into h-  
  
Kagome bolted up in the darkness, drawing in a sharp breath. Her breathing was ragged, her fear permeating the air around her. So much so that it was almost physical to her. She sat there a full minute before she realized that she had been silently crying. She quickly wiped away her tears and clamed herself. She was safely in Kaede's hut in Sengoku Jidai. "Kagome?"  
  
She jerked slightly at the quiet voice. By now her eyes had adjusted to the light and she looked down at the kitsune beside her. "mm?"  
  
"Are you ok Kagome? I can smell tears, and you're scared."  
  
Kagome shook her head and smiled, "I'm fine Shippo, it was just a nightmare. A very bad nightmare."  
  
"What was it about?" he asked sleepily. Content to go back to sleep now knowing that everything was safe.  
  
"I don't really remember," she lied, hopping the kit was to sleepy to notice. "I just remember...feeling trapped, and pain... and alone."  
  
"Don' worry.." the kit mumbled, his speech deteriorating along with his conciousness. "We'll never leave you alone..."  
  
She smiled at him, laying down again and cuddling Shippo to her chest. "I know, thank you Shippo. Oyasumi." She kissed his forehead as he mumble a goodnight. Tomorrow she would have to be careful. She sighed, she would have to remember not to run off anywhere on her own tomorrow. Last time she had stormed off for some time alone after getting upset with Inu Yasha. Then of all people, she ran into him. With her still somewhat suicidal nature at the time she defied him outright. Inviting him to kill her even lifting her chin to give him better access to her throat. His warm and deadly hand had landed gently around her neck and flexed a few times as though he were trying to decide as she stood there, staring defiantly into his eyes. As he began to apply select pressure she realized he was not choking her, she could still breath. His thumb and forefinger pressing on the pulse points under her jaw. As the edges of her vision began to darken she remembered wondering what was going on before waking in his home.  
  
Kagome sighed, she still never understood what it was that caused him to allow her to live. Even more so what made him think it was a good idea to take her with him. Probably that indominatable spirit of hers that he always went on about. Well not always. That was what he loved about her, that was why he sacrificed himself for her. She shook her mind out of those thoughts, "Go back to sleep Kagome," she whispered to herself, "it's pointless to worry about it now."  
  
Inu Yasha sat there in the position he normally slept in, his ears twitching in her direction. He woke not long before she had, hearing her cry in her sleep. There was something bothering her deeply and he wanted to know what it was. After the immediate fear from the nightmare dispelled he could tell she was worried. She lied when she said she didn't remember the nightmare. Did she think it might be some kind of premonition? Scared, trapped, pain and alone... Naraku maybe? Or was she just being foolish? The hanyou clenched his teeth, he'd be on guard tomorrow, just in case. He'd protect his friends, after all they were all he really had.  
  


***

  
  
Detective Hikawa sat at the desk looking over the information he had. It was odd, while people may have been in a rush he was surprised that no one could give him a description of the man that had brought the Higurashi girl inot the hospital. All he got was "tall" and "stange looking" but no one could seem to tell him what about him looked strange. One nurse, though, distinctly remebered that he had almost measured, well placed movements, like he always knew where he was going. When he asked how she knew this she said that she had taken dancing since she was a child and her brother was a martial artist who taught her some as well. The man had looked like he was ready to fight or flee at the drop of a hat. Strangely enough, while she had noticed this his features seemed to elude her and he did not stick around to see if Higurashi was ok.  
  
Suffice to say, the detective was stumped.  
  


***

  
  
Kagome ealized at some point the nex day that she was having some of the exact same conversations as before. That really hadn't bothered her, but the fact that during them her knowledge of the future was wiped off to the side, and she would only relaize it when the full memories returned. She was worried, it was as if fate dictated that certain things had to happen again, and if she couldn't change anything...  
  
No, she shook her head, it was already a few hours past noon, when she had run into him last time she lived through this. Yes, things were still changing, but was it enough? Kami she hoped so. Unexpectedly and suddenly Inu Yasha made his hunger known, the others agreed, Kagome could use some rest herself anyway. Inu Yasha sniffed the air a bit, his ears twitching, "There's a river over this way," he muttered, "Hey Kagome you wanna come with me to get some water?"  
  
She crossed her arms and raised a brow at him, "Are you implying that I can't protect myself?" she asked somewhat slyly.  
  
"Nah," he grinned, knowing this was the beginning of their legendary verbal sparring matches. "You just reak of sweat." A split second later a instant later a flashlight collided with the back of his head.  
  
"Sure why not," Kagome said walking past him as though she had never thrown the thing. "I could use the exercise," she clarified flatly.  
  
They weren't but a minute from the others when InuYasha spoke up again, "Kagome is everything alright?"  
  
"Of course, why wouldn't they be?"  
  
"I heard you talking to the runt last night, and I can tell you're worried about something."  
  
"It's nothing," she said turning her eyes from her closest friend, "It was just some bad dream I can't remember."  
  
He took hold her arm and turned her towards him, "Kagome," he said softly, "You know better than to try and lie to me. Did something happen? Do you think your dream will happen? We've been through too much together to keep silly things like this from each other."  
  
Her eyes began to burn, she didn't want him to know. He'd hate her, telling her she deserved it for being so weak. And then if she told him about her "premonition" he'd think she was just being stupid and silly. "Inu Yasha.. I..." She bit her lip and shifted her weight unconfortably. "I.. I was..." Before another word could leave her mouth she felt a rush of air in front of her followed by the sound of crashing. She looked up startled, Her eyes widened as she saw Inu Yasha pinned to a tree by a youkai that was an odd combination of a wolf and a gator.  
  
"Run Kagome!" the hanyou yelled throwing the beast off, "Get the others quick!" He cut off the youkai from following Kagome, cursing himself for not noticing it sooner. The monster tackled him again and he slashed at it again, the youkai's scaled hide was tough and barely showed signs of damage. Drawing his Tetsusaiga he suddenly caught on to other scents, "Kuso..." He didn't know if she would hear him but he shouted out to her anyway. "KAGOME! He's not alone!!"  
  


***

  
  
Kagome ran, familiar adrenaline running through her blood as she paused to string her bow while calling out to her friends, positive that at least Shippo and Kirara would hear. Sensing more youki she immediately pointed an arrow in it's direction only to see two more of the wolf-gators. "Kagome! He's not alone!" She vaguly heard Inu Yasha yell.  
  
"No shit!" She screamed, knowing Inu Yasha would hear. She let an arrow fly, to her surprise the youkai dodged it. She began running back towards the camp and the others, but she was cut off by one of the predators. A shiver ran down the miko's spine as she recognized hunger in it's eyes, and though it was different it reminded her of that fateful night not to long ago.  
  
A ball of fox fire popped up in the things face causing it to reel back in surpise, Kagome took off on a path perpendicular to the way she was running notching another arrow. She looked back and shot, noticing that now only one was following her. She jumped over a fallen log, paused long enough to shoot the youkai then kept running. Judging by the roar she had only managed to piss it off. "Great..." she panted, "I'm gonna get eaten... I just know it." She fired another shot a moment later, scratching it's hide again, but she paused too long. Her eyes widened as it's large tail swung around, slamming into her and throwing her across the forest floor.  
  


***

  
  
Kirara had her teeth imbeded in the monster's tail as the Hiraikotsu collided with it's head. "Everyone get back!" Miroku shouted, reading to undo the prayer beads around his arm. Less than a second after Kirara retreated and Sango caught her weapon the monk let loose the power of the curse that Naraku had bestowed upon his family. "KAZAA NA!"  
  
The youkai growled, imbedding it's claws into the ground, eyes glowing red. It let loose a roar and its tail whipped behind it, breaking through a tree sending it hutling towards the monk and his cursed hand. Their eyes widened Miroku shut the void while getting out of the way. A short distance off they could feel and hear the energy of the Kaze no Kizu.  
  


***

  
  
Kagome's back slammed into the tree trunk, somehow she had kept hold of her bow. The point was moot however as the creature was too close for her to pull back an arrow. Fortunately over the years she had gotten better control over her powers. She winced painfully and pushed herself up, the youkai's massive claw came up, latching around her torso and pinning her to the tree. She felt herself being crushed, the sensation strangely reminicent of when Madam Centipede had pinned her against Inu Yasha and his tree. Gritting her teeth she focused on the arrow still held in her one hand, having already dropped the bow. The youkai pushed harder, and sharp pains kpt coming from the wound in her side. While she could tell this wasn't exaclty an intelligent youkai it was smart enough to have sadisitc joy in slowly killing her. Just as she was beginning to find it hard to breath she rammed the arrow into it's hand.  
  
The youkai reared it's head, roaring in pain, immediately dropping the girl to tend to the burning in his paw. The arrow sizzled as Kagome grabbed her bow and another arrow. Its other claw came acros her in it's frenzied motion barely touching her but giving her a nice gash across her stomach meeting with and tearing her stab wound open again. The previous arrow fell to the ground having left a hole and two less fingers than the youkai had before.  
  
It's head thrown back in pain and outrage she shot an arrow at the exposed throat of the youkai. Though it moved the arrow still went into the side of its neck. _Oh yeah, _Kagome thought, _it's really pissed off... wow have I become cynical or what?_  
  
She ran again as the wolf-gator thing thrashed in another painful fit before she heard it coming after her again, she nearly lost the next arrow as she went to notch it, her head spinning a bit. _Damn blood loss,_ she muttered to herself mentally. She almost went to shoot him again when a flash of white flew across her vision. It was so fat she might have thought the youkai she was fighting just sprung a leak and fell over. Thinking for a moment that it was Inu Yasha Kagome allowed her weak, exhausted body to fall to the ground. She panted heavily and looked up at her saviour as golden eyes came into view.  
  
Her breath caught and her eyes widened as she recognized him. Kagome tried to push hereslf up, feebly crawling backwards away from him. "Not you," she shook her head, "Kami not you." He raised a brow as the seemingly delerious girl began to ramble, "It's not safe... you.. you have to.. to get away. Please, don't come... don't come near me. You.. you might..." Her vision began to darken from pain, exhaustion, and blood loss as she fell over into unconciousness. "Don't.. want you.. hurt...."  
  


***

  
  
Less than a minute after he had used the Kaze no Kizu Inu Yasha was upon the wolf-gator that Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were fighting. Another minute later it was dead. The hanyou took a quick inventory of his friends and their wounds. "Where's Kagome!?" He all but shouted, realizing she was gone.  
  
"She lured the other one away," Sango said, pulling herself up pointing in one direction. "Hurry and find her!"  
  
Inu Yasha nodded, shouting for Kirara to guard the others while he ran off into the woods.  
  


***

  
  
He looked down at the unconcious, bloody woman he held in his arms. The nonsense she spouted before passing out was too ridiculous for him not to look into. As he expected she was fearful of him when he appeared, but she didn't seem scared of him but for him. He would have asked her then but with Inu Yasha fast approaching he had not time to deal with it then.  
  
It was very strange, now that he thought of it, that he felt almost compelled to save her and then take her home with him. As though he completely forgot his obvious reason to show up to do just that. For a second he debated turning back and leaving the girl to whatever fate may befall her; be it recovery, infection, or death. However as quickly as the thought came it was swept aside, things had been boring lately, which was why he went to seek out the hanyou in the first place, perhaps things would be more interesting with her instead.  
  
The barest of grins touched the Western Lord's lips, yes his brother could be entertaining, but now that he thought of it this resilient woman had her own baffleing qualities, and until his brother arrived in search of her (which he surely would) he could occupy himself by trying to figure her out. The decision made Sesshoumaru continued his flight towards his caslte.  
  
----------------------------------------  
Ok since there has been some confusion involving the incident with Kagome, I will explain. I guess I thought it'd be easier to figure out, but since I already knew what I was hinting at... yeah. So anyway incase it's not clear after this chapter  
There's nothing mystical or coincidental about the her attack, (it wasn't Onigumo as one of my reviewers has thought) Kagome was raped, by some obscure (human)dirtbag who is now dead. The first time around Kagome remembers (vaguely) that she was brought into the hospital by the cabbie and a woman. BUT in this more recent (redone) timeline, some unknown man brought her in. 


	4. Ch 3 Hello Again

**Twist Of Fate**  
Chapter 3: Hello Again  
  
The little girl bit her lip and looked up and down the bank of the river. Their campsite had to be around here somewhere. Why oh why did she chase after that cute little bunny? Now she was lost in the woods, pearing up and down the riverbank nervously. Did she cross a bridge? She knew she didn't cross the river because her feet were dry. Oh what was she supposed to do!? She bit her lip again, this time harder as her eyes began to tear up. "PAPA!MAMA! Where are you!?" She called out again a few more times before dropping to her knees. She sobbed before hearing a rustle behind her. She stiffened, what it was a wolf? Or a tiger or a bear, or a dinosaur!? What if she got eaten by a dinosaur? Her little brother wouldn't have a big sister anymore!  
  
"Are you lost little one?" Wait a second dinosaurs didn't talk! She turned quickly to the kind voice. The person towered over her, of course who didn't to a seven-year-old? She wiped her tears away and nodded. The person reached out their hand and she took it. "Come along, I'll take you back to your family ok?"  
  
The girl smiled and nodded. "I'm Kagome!"  
  
The person smiled, "Pretty name for a pretty girl."  
  


***

  
  
Kagome's eyes opened slowly, she had not expected that dream, that memory of a hero who's face she could never remember. She expected another nightmare, like last nights. The dective said a man brought her to the hospital. Could that have been the same person? The one who all those years ago... She shook herself mentally. No, that made no sense, that sounded like a guardian angel or something.  
  
Suddenly, for no reason at all that she could see tears came. She rolled over onto her side then her stomach when there was too much pain to curl herself into a ball. She pushed her body into the mattress the salt water rivers not ceasing in their trek to the pillow. It wasn't for another five minutes before she realized there was something wrong with this picture. _A bed? Where?_ She pushed herself up too quickly and pain shot through nearly her entire body and she fell back to the bed. Gasping she rolled herself onto her back once again. She was in a sleeping robe, opening it up a bit and looked down at herself.  
  
In the light of the setting sun (or was it rising?) she could see that her stomach was bandaged, though the dressings were red from her new wound. Most of what else she could see of herself was badly bruised. She grimaced and with a groan pushed herself into a better sitting position. She looked around the room, it was very nice, she was obviously not in a villiage, and not even in a place where they would normally stay if Miroku were to offer his priestly services to a rich house. Oddly enough though, the room seemed strangely familiar, but she knew she had never been here befo-  
  
Her eyes widened as once again she remembered her... what had it been? A dream, a vision, did she really already live out the next month and was sent back to fix something? It had been to real, she MUST have lived it, she must have... But what was she supposed to fix? How could she keep him from dying if everything was happening again anyway!? Helplessly, she lowered her head into her hands. "What am I supposed to do?" she moaned, "If I can't change anything... if I can't stop..." Her mind vividly flashed his death before her eyes, she began to cry again. "I'm useless," she choked, "it's all going to happen again."  
  


***

  
  
He watched her from one of the darker corners of the room. He had silently entered the room sometime while she was still sleeping. He had thought that she was trying to escape or going crazy from the cries that had been emitting from her throat. It was odd though, before he made it to the bed she had calmed. He thought for a moment to startle her, putting her on edge. But he let his curiousity get the better of him and allowed himself to simply watch for a while. Besides she seemed unstable enough right now that he need not do anything for effect.  
  
And now she was crying... again.  
  
Sesshoumaru never enjoyed the smell of tears, he always obyed Rin to stop at even the stirrings of them. He did not know why, but the smell always made him feel... off somehow. He let her cry simply so he could analyze the feeling it caused. It was not simply annoyance at the act, that would have been easy to identify. It was mildly frustrating that he couldn't figure it out. Perhaps it was some deep seeded childhood memory that was the cause, but he hated the smell.   
  
"I'm useless... it's all going to happen again."  
  
"I wouldn't say that. It seems to me that everyone has some uses... well except maybe Jaken." He decided to leave the last half of her remark for later, she didn't seem to be in her right mind now anyway.  
  
Her head snapped up and she stared at the emotionless mask of Sesshoumaru. How had she not seen him standing there before... and did he just tell a joke? "What are you doing here?" she asked rubbing the tears from her cheeks.  
  
"I live here," he answered simply. Apparently the girl had not noticed that her sleeping robe hung partway open, revealing a good portion of bruised and unbruised skin, but not enough to show her bare breasts. He cared as much as she noticed.  
  
God it felt good to hear his voice again. "Fine," she said, gaining more control of her voice, "What am _I_ doing here Sesshoumaru?"  
  
"Being an ungrateful houseguest." Coming from anybody else it might have sounded like a joke. From Sesshoumaru, it was a veiled threat.  
  
She bowed her head, more out of exhaustion than etiquette, "Sorry. Thank you for having me healed," she doubted he dressed her wounds himself, "and allowing me to rest here." Sesshoumaru was surprised at her sudden obediance as it were, it seemed to him that she was not acting herself. "But I have to wonder why you brought me here, you don't seem the type who would hold me ransom for a sword. You struck me as having too much honor to do that."  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked. Kagome hid the tiny smile that tugged on her lips. The "last time" she woke up here she had been furious and was convinced that he kidnapped her for the Tetsusaiga. He had simply said she was wrong, he never told her the reason he took her home that night, and she suspected the reason was similar now. "You are correct human."  
  
"Then why am I here?" She didn't expect a real answer.  
  
He didn't give her one. "It is not necessary that you know."  
  
"Oh really?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.  
  
In a split second he was face to face with her, kneeling on the bed next to her, Kagome stiffened. The movement was so fast she barely felt the bed shift under his weight. "Yes," he said dangerously, "really."  
  
She swallowed a lump in her throat as he backed away. Once he was standing again she asked, "Do you wish for me to help take care of Rin?"  
  
"No." Kagome was surprised. "She doesn't know you are here, nor will she till I have deemed that you are not dangerous to her."  
  
"Why would I be-" she stopped, then looked at the fresh bandages around her wrists, he had seen them? She didn't want him to know, she didn't want anyone here to know her problems that existed in the twentith century. She shuddered when she remembered that he had already found out the last time. Her clairvoyant images from before were fast fading. "I would never hurt Rin," she said sincerely.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned away towards the door and paused as he opened it. "I am not willing to trust your judgement on the matter." With that he was gone.  
  


***

  
  
Sesshoumaru pondered the wounds on her wrists. At first he thought it possible she had been captured and/or tortured. Many youkai liked the taste of human blood, drank it like wine even. And if they found a person who was of particularly good vintage they would keep them alive, and even treat them somewhat decently, with the exception of blood lettings, to keep their favorite drink comming.  
  
The idea, however, was dispelled when he made the comment about her doing it to herself. If she hadn't done it he suspected that she would violently deny the accusation.  
  
But she hadn't, she just stared at her wrist for a second, seemingly reliving the moment. The woman had tried to kill herself. The woman who had once yelled at him when he knocked Inu Yasha out after his youkai rampage. The same woman who, so long ago, flatly refused to give him the Tetsusaiga, and threated him with her arrows while foolishly telling him where she was aiming. So a single question kept entering his mind on the young woman's recent actions. Why?   
  
And what was that odd feeling he sensed off of her? She was relieved to see him after the initial surprise of his entry. Relief at seeing him? Why? Then fear mixed with something else radiated off her when he was close to her. He could not pinpoint this other smell, her emotions were in too chaotic a state that he could not sort the smells they caused properly with as little time as he just spent near her. But somehow he got the impression that the fear she felt was not associated with the possible loss of her life.  
  
Of course why would someone who had tried to take their own life fear dying? Somehow this didn't seem right to him either. This woman, Kagome, seemed to care about living still, somehow he sensed it. It must have been a moment of weakness, he reasoned, in which she attempted such an act. At least he had been right in one respect, with this new puzzle to figure out he was sure to not experience boredom for at least a few days.  
  


***

  
  
She had hated to see him go, but at the same time was relieved. When he knelt by her she had felt the incredible urge to grab him and press her lips to his. To feel his arms around her, his hair between her fingers. But fear stayed her hand, fear of him loving her, fear of him dying because of it. Fear of him rejecting her. Violently she shook the thoughts from her head. She would not think like that, all that mattered was that he lived on past this next month. That was more important than him loving her.  
  
Kagome carefully made her way to the window as her mind quickly began to process the things she knew he loved in her. That list made in her mind she decided she would do as few of them as possible. And should she need to remind herself the list had a memo on it that said she should replay his death so she would remember what she was trying to prevent. "So," she whispered to herself, "From here on out you're going to stop being yourself... just so he can get out of this alive." A sad smile tugged at her lips as she watched the sun rise. "I hope you will appreciate this someday Sesshoumaru. Then again it shouldn't be hard, I haven't been myself for a little while now."  
  
------------------------------------  
Kinda short for such a long wait I know but It works for now.   
Sooo... what did I need to explain again? *shuffles through reviews*  
Oh yeah there still seems to be some confusion about the timeline(s). Kagome is the only one who knows what supposedly will happen. Any time it says the "last time" or the "first time" it happened it's likely referring to her "vision" or whatever it was, which ended when she went to bed in the first chapter.  
And If you haven't figured it out by now "he" is Sesshoumaru. 


	5. Ch 4 Words in the Library

Sorry for the really late update (and the short chapter) but I've been pretty busy lately with my new job and all. Also I actually had most of this chapter done almost 3 weeks ago but for whatever reason I didn't like it. I read over it again today trying to find somewhere to change it but I couldn't really and I still don't like it... but it's all I got so... yeah sorry if this chapter sucks  
  
If you are confused about some of the events so far please read the notes at the ends of the chapter and 2&3 if you haven't. However please keep in mind that there are some things that you are meant to ponder on and not really know about until they are explained in later chapters (though some of you may figure it out before that).   
  


**Twist Of Fate**  
Chapter 4: Words in the Library

  
  
It had been nearly a week since he had brought Kagome to his castle and now he stood watching the girl as she watched Rin. There were certain things about her that he had noticed. Things that he practically knew were not right. She wore her own clothes as soon as they had been cleaned (though ger torn shirt had been replaced with a gi-top), very different from what she had worn every other time he saw her. Her legs completely covered, her shoes more durable, her shirt tucked in, loose to disguise her subtle curves and covering her from her neck to her wrists. Then when she wore the yukatas that were provided her he noticed that she tied them unnecessarily tight, as though she feared them falling off. She was nervous and tense whenever anyone came to re-dress her wounds and often insisted on doing it herself. Bathing and dressing were other things she had asked that she have utter privacy during, tolerating no assistance.  
  
He looked down from the window, the miko not knowing that he was watching. Rin ran up to her and hugged her about the legs. The woman stiffened, briefly hugging the child back before trying to pull away. Then Rin went to take her hand but again Kagome seemed hesitant, finally allowing the child to take hold of her sleeve. She avoided being touched, even from Rin, it was as though she had expected pain to come with every bit of human contact.  
  
If the changes were simply that he might have been so curious as he had become. But her personality had changed drastically as well. She was always nervous and edgy around people. As though waiting for them to pounce upon her or strike her. Perhaps Inu Yasha had struck her? Almost immediately the Western Lord dismissed the idea, his brother may have been a thoughtless, impulsive, moronic hanyou, but Sesshoumaru was sure their father had instilled at least that honor in him. "There is something you must remember Sesshou and you too Inu Yasha," he remembered his father's voice. At the time Inutaisho was really just talking to Sesshoumaru since his hanyou brother was only a year old at the time. "Women have their own strength, their own ways of being powerful."  
  
"What do you mean by telling me this father?" The young Sesshoumaru had asked.  
  
Inutaisho had smiled, apparently not feeling the need to answer the question. "I want you boys to promise me something, that you will never strike a woman when not in combat."  
  
Sesshoumaru had been very confused at the time, "When else would someone hit another?" The memory then seemed to fade out with Inutaisho's laughter at his heir's remark. No, Inu Yasha would not have done something that stupid. Besides even if the hanyou had beat the woman with her frail human body she would have been in far worse physical condition then when he had found her. Besides it didn't explain why she was afraid to touch anyone.  
  
Then there was the way she acted around Sesshoumaru himself. There was a different kind of nervousness about her, as though she did not trust what she was seeing, or was expecting... anticipating something. Yes that was it, and there was always conflict in her eyes when she looked at him... why? He did not speak with her often, more often than not if they were in the same room, like when eating. He would simply stare at her, or block her passage in the hall, waiting for her to burst with anger and annoyance.  
  
But she never did, she would simply excuse herself and walk past, or make some similar polite gesture. Where she was once openly defiant, loud, and unafraid. She was now annoyingly quite and obedient. Like any other human in his presence.  
  
If he wanted obedience he had Rin. If he wanted loyalty, Rin again and even that incompetent toad Jaken. If he wanted quite there were his many servants and most other beings he came across. The thing that he had thought made her worthy enough for him not to kill her so many times before. Where was that fire she had once had? And why did he want to see it again? The thing that made her unique amongst all the other pitiful creatures he had come across. What had happened to her that made her just like... any other human?  
  


***

  
  
Kagome was getting worried, her knowledge of the future was fading in and out. If she didn't change things soon... change what? NO! she shook her head. She had to remember she couldn't bare it to see Sesshoumau die, not again. Not after he told her... She cut off the thought, he wouldn't say it, not this time. If he didn't fall for her this time he would live, she was sure of it. It was too late for her however, she loved him already, again, still,.. she wasn't sure which word would best describe the situation.  
  
She shuddered a moment thinking about how he cornered her in the library the other day.  
  


~*~*~

  
  
Kagome looked over the shelves, reading the spines of the books, pulling some out so that she could flip through a few pages. She did not really expect there to be any children's books but she wanted to have plenty of stories to tell Rin. She assumed with some minor editing on her part she should be able to find something appropriate. Besides, she thought, It will give me something to do alone.   
  
Alone.  
  
She was beginning to form a strong dislike for the word. When she could clearly remember her time with Sesshoumaru and not have him even though he was right there. "Inches in front of you, but miles away..." she whispered sadly. She was almost convinced for a moment that she was dead and in hell. To have all that she could have ever dreamed of (but never before dared to dream) ripped away from her then dangled in front of her face like a steak in front of a starving man. And she was starving, starving for the love she knew only Sesshoumaru could give her, and for a moment she knew exactly how Inu Yasha must have felt about Kikyou. "I must be in hell," she sighed, a tear sliding down her cheek.  
  
"I take it you do not like the accommodations."  
  
The miko jumped at the sudden voice spinning around to see Sesshoumaru on the other side of the aisle. For an instant she drowned in liquid gold, unable to speak or think. Her body wanted to act, to approach him, touch him, to relax against him. But just as quickly as she fell in she forced herself out of the pool. She shook her head, "I was not speaking of the accommodations, Sesshoumaru-sama."  
  
"Really?"  
  
She nodded, turning her eyes down, needing a break from his hard gaze. He did not use to look at her like that. "I was thinking of..." you, "other matters."  
  
"Well while you are thinking on 'other matters' perhaps you could answer me a simple question."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"When you awoke, you said, 'It's all going to happen again.'" he noticed the miko suddenly paled as she looked at him, "What did you mean by that?"  
  
She turned her blue depths away again, "I... I don't know, perhaps I was still half dreaming..."  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, if it were a mere dream she would not be afraid that I asked. "I doubt that somehow. After all you were awake and crying for some time before you spoke it."  
  
For a moment she wondered just how long he was watching her that day. She shook her head, "I'm not sure.. I was scared... confused, I didn't know where I was... I don't know where it came from when I said it." She felt her throat try to snap shut and her lungs resist giving her air to speak, as though her very body hated that she lie to him as much as she did.  
  
The youkai took a step forward grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him, she was lying. The idea in itself was not very surprised but the self loathing in her eyes at the fact. Masking his surprise he let her face go, moments before Kagome lost the loosing battle with herself, moments before she gave in to her love for him. Moments before she would have leaned in to kiss him.  
  
"You had best not be lying to me," he warned darkly, the razor edge of his voice slicing through her heart, "Or else I will show you real hell."  
  
In less time than it would have taken her to say his name he was gone. Tired and torn Kagome slowly dropped down to the ground where she hugged her knees to her chest and cried. And while she had not known, the Western Lord had not gone so far that he did not notice. He paused then and began to ponder on her tears.  
  


~*~*~

  
  
He had heard what she said, and now he suspected something of her, but what? Should she use his suspicion to her advantage? She shook her head violently, It sounds like you're plotting against him! Besides it would probably only make him kill you. Yep... she thought, that's all you need Kagome, turn this whole situation into a Shakespearean Tragedy.... or is it Greek tragedy? She shook her head at the absurdity of it all, and alone in her room she allowed herself to laugh for a moment.  
  


***

  
  
Sesshoumaru's ears perked up a bit at the short lived and foreign sound from somewhere in his home. So, he found himself thinking, she can still laugh.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
Ok it seems lots of people are still confused so lets see what I can do to remedy this as much as I can.  
  
-First and foremost for those of you who didn't read it the first time the man who raped Kagome was just a random human-dirtbag. Just because she lives a strange life doesn't mean "normal" bad things can't happen to her for whatever reasons they normally occur. It was NOT Onigumo/Naraku or Sesshoumaru as someone thought it might be o_O  
  
-Next, right now Kagome thinks that if she makes sure Sesshoumaru doesn't fall in love with her like last time he won't get injured protecting her and then die because of it. I will tell you now that she is wrong. BUT she has convinced herself that it is the answer because she is still too messed up emotionally and mentally to completely think this through.  
  
-Last in previous chapters by "he" I meant the one who died the last time (in the prologue), and who she fell in love with.   
  
-Most other things unfortunately you'll have to wait on as I plan to explain them and (hopefully) make them more clear in later chapters. Like Kagome's saviour. Sorry but I felt like being kinda cryptic with this one but all will eventually be explained. however I haven't ever really written anything in this kind of "oh you'll see" way before so please forgive me is in the end there are still things to be explained 


	6. Ch 5 The Gamble

YEEEAAAASSSSSS!! I LIIIVE AGAAAAIIINNN!!!!!  
-Ahem- still don't own 'em though  
  


**Twist of Fate**   
Chapter 5: The Gamble

  
  
Weak.  
  
Shame.  
  
Fear.  
  
Pain.  
  
Broken.  
  
These were the only things she felt, curled up on her side in the abandoned building she had been shoved into. She was barely even aware of the floor beneathe her, the concrete that scraped against her arms and legs as she curled up into a tighter ball. It was so dark. She could not even open one of her eyes all the way. Of course it didn't really matter, she didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to see. She didn't want to know what the suddenly much darker world she lived in looked like. And she couldn't face those who didn't know how dark it really was.  
  
Tears had fallen from her eyes for far too long. She felt as though she had none left to cry and that she would have permanent tracks down her face. She heard a slight shuffle of some of the papers that littered the floor and curled up tighter against the wall, as though it might make her invisible. She hoped it was a cat, or even a rat. She prayed to all the gods that it was not her attacker back for more. In fact she didn't want it to be any kind of person, she didn't want to be seen like this.  
  
She did not get her wish, but she did not expect to hear the gentle voice she did. "Kagome..." The voice was sympathetic, yet veiling anger and... did he say her name? "Miss?" No she must have been mistaken. She turned her face away from her hands slowly and shakily. She only caught the sight of his silouette. A man knelt beside her, "Miss are you alright?" The tone in his voice indicated that he knew she was not. Slowly his hand reached up for her and she cringed back with a startled gasp. "I'm not going to hurt you," why did it sound like he was hurt by her fear of him? "Please let me help," he seemed as desperate as she was frightened.  
  
Gently he took her wrist into his hand and pulled her too him. His other hand reached behind her back and once there she grasped onto him tightly and began to cry anew into this man's shirt. "Shh.. shh... don't worry you'll be ok."  
  
Her arms now quite securly arouns his neck she felt something wrap around her before his arms went under her knees to pick her up. Once he stood and turned she heard a second deeper voice speak up.  
  
"We're too late."  
  
"Yes," she felt the man holding her nod. Somehow she had known there was a second person there, but he had not wanted to speak up so as not to frighten her. "But you knew we would be didn't you?"  
  
"Take her to the hospital, I'll find the scum who did this."  
  
"Better not do anything to him without me there," The younger one said, almost sounding demanding  
  
"I won't now hurry and get her help." The one holding her nodded again as she heard the man with the deeper voice come closer. A hand placed itself on her forehead. "Sleep," he whispered.  
  
The next thing she knew she was being handed over to the hospital staff, the lights inside too bright for her to open her eyes to see the face of one of her saviors.  
  


***

  
  
Kagome sat up in her bed, heart pumping and breath heavy. Was that? Did that really happen? Or was it just a dream? It felt so real, like she was reliving it. Not like her horrifically enhanced nightmares. The men seemed achingly familiar in her dream. And there were two people that saved her? Two men whose famlilarity was barely within her grasp and whose identities were far beyond that. She blinked her eyes rapidly her eyes darting in differnent directions but not really looking at anything as her mind went over the dream again and again in an attempt to loose as few details as possible and to analyze it.  
  
Perhaps she never knew there identities, that was probably why she didn't know who they were. Because she didn't. They were just her rescuers. But it seemed they knew it would happen. Maybe they were police after this man?  
  
No that didn't make sense, a police officer would have stayed around to question her. So who were they? Were they just figments of her subconscious...  
  
...or were they real?  
  


***

  
  
Sesshoumaru watched Rin run amoung the flowers chasing a butterfly, But carefully trying not to trampling any of her beloved flowers in the process. The miko Kagome had expressed little interest in being outside today, spending the day safely tucked away in her room with a few books from his library.  
  
He almost wanted to cringe in disgust at the idea. _Safely tucked away_, he thought, _more like hiding in fear._ He had to find a way to get her out of the infernal box she had locked herself in.  
  
He did not know why but for some reason he had this wonder... no desire to see the miko as what she once was. And to be perfectly honest he did not care, the puzzle in this case was her, not himself. Then again he was part of that puzzle, the way she reacted to him, the pain in her eyes when she looked at him. How her reactions to him were different from how she responded to all the others. That was it. He'd confront her the next time she left her room. And he'd be damned if he didn't get a reaction out of her  
  


***

  
  
The miko did not leave her room again until dinner that night. Sesshoumaru had made sure to tell the servant who informed the priestess when meals were not to let her eat in her room if she asked tonight. She came into the room quietly and meekly. "Kagome-neechan!" Rin ran up to her and wrapped her arms around the girls waist. Kagome had become more responsive to the girl over the past week and hugged her back warmly, if not a little awkwardly.  
  
She sat down to Sesshoumaru's left and across from Rin as usual, quietly eating her food responding to Rin's banter occasionally. Of course Rin was the only one at the table that usually talked. Kagome was feeling particularly selfconcious this evening. She kept feeling Sesshoumaru's black gaze on her, and everytime she glanced at him he was looking at her. It made her feel like a bug in a jar or something. When Rin began to get sleepy, which happened at about a quarter of the dinners and Sesshoumaru had a servant take her instead of allowing Kagome, the miko cursed her luck.  
  
Sesshoumaru suddenly spoke after five minutes, "If I may ask...," purposely pausing to make her nervous she was sure, "Why have you tried not leave?"  
  
Kagome blinked and looked up at the western lord oddly, "I'm sorry what?"  
  
"Why have you not tried to leave? 'Escape' as it were from my 'evil clutches'."  
  
The teenager stared at him for a moment, was he teasing her or making fun of her? "You mean you would not send someone to retrieve me or chase me down yourself if I tried? It seems it would be a waste of time for me to run."  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly in thought, "I do not think that would have ever stopped you before."  
  
"Before what?"  
  
He blinked, there was a question he had not expected, obviously something did happen. "That," he said, "is what I hoped you might tell me."  
  
Worry began to rise in her again and she pushed her plate away and stood. "Please excuse me Sesshoumaru-sama. I am no longer hungry and wish to retire now."  
  
The youkai stood as well. "It is normally an hour at which only children retire. And since you spent nearly all day in your quarters I know you cannot be tired from any sort of physical excercise."  
  
Kagome gave him a slightly shocked look mouth agape, "What do you have my every movement recorded and watched?"  
  
She was obviously offended... good. "Of course not, that would be rude."  
  
Once again she gave him a disbelieving look, before turning and walking out the door. "Oyasumi Sesshoumaru-sama."   
  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes slightly, she wasn't going to get away that easily tonight. Before she made it fifteen feet towards her room he was in her path. "Yes?" she asked looking him in the eye, both annoyed and defiant.   
  
"We were not finished talking."  
  
"Well I was," she said moving to step passed him. But his arm came out to stop her. She looked at the arm then moved around his left side. He raised a brow as she walked by before obstructing her path again.  
  
"Well I was not. And since you are a 'guest' in my home I suggest you wait until you are dismissed."  
  
"What do you want from me!?" she nearly screamed. She felt so tired, mentally, physcially, emotionally. She couldn't stand it anymore, this place. The silence. The emptiness. His cold stares. Despite the few times she could bare to be around the too happy Rin the atmosphere of his home was weighing on her. It only served to push her further into herself. She wanted to be with her friends, Inu Yasha and the others. She knew they could draw her out, help her forget. But here in this empty and silent palace, she had only herself and the dreaded future to ponder, and it was destroying her, she could feel it. What's more she was so near to him and couldn't love him... Gods why hadn't she tried to escape?  
  
"I want..." he paused. She looked at him with angry tear filled eyes that demanded an answer. He reached a hand out and took hold of her chin and she tried desperately to ignore the warmth that came from it. Forcing her to look at him he spoke again. "I want to hear you say something or do something, without this fear in your eyes." She stepped back and stared at him, shocked at his answer and whatever feeling she saw in his eyes. "What happened to the woman you used to be? The one I used to know?"  
  
"You never knew me," she spat, pulling away. However she knew his asking was not completely unwarranted.  
  
"Not closely no, but I knew enough. What happened to the woman who always fought, who was never afraid for herself. You feared not I, nor Naraku, nor do I imagine any other youkai you have encountered. What happened to the mere human who fought everything, kicking and screaming if that was all you could do? Now, you remain here, passive, brooding. You haven't even tried to escape or contact your friends since I brought you here. It seems that your soul is only mere embers of the bonfire that once inhabited your human shell. So tell me, what happened to her?"  
  
She stared at him, surprised at his observations and how right they truly were. She could feel the truth in what he said. She was raped, she thought painfully. Then upon her return to this world was kidnapped and kept here for nearly a month before falling for her captor, her best friend's brother. Then he died... you died. She tried to keep the tears at bay from the horrible memory. You died protecting me, fighting for me. Then I awoke to the time before I returned. So I changed, I tried not to let you find me. I thought... I think that if we don't fall in love then you won't die. Can't you see I'm afraid for your life?!   
  
All these things she thought, but could not bring herself to speak them. He watched in silence, awaiting her answer examining the play of emotions in her eyes. It was strange how they didn't show on the rest of her face as much as they used to. He was mildly surprised at the three that dominated her eyes and scent; pain, fear, and sadness. "That girl..." she finally spoke, "That girl is hiding."  
  
"And your passion, your anger? Is that hiding too?" She folded arms around herself and looked away from him. He sighed inside, this was getting him nowhere, what was the key to unlocking her old self? Where did it lie? Hidden within herself or was it outside of her for him to find?   
  
"Who I am and how I am acting is none of your business Sesshoumaru." She had dropped the honorific, he noticed. Her patience was wearing thin. "Now I would appreciate it if I could continue on to my room."  
  
As she brushed past him he grabbed her arm. "We are not finished yet Miko-sama."  
  
She turned her glaring eyes up at his for a second. Staring into golden depths before looking away, she had to look away before she let the emotion show in her eyes. The yearing, the desire, the need and love she felt for him. "Let me go Sesshoumaru. I am to tired to deal with you right now."   
  
She was almost there, he could taste it. Sesshoumaru was almost to the point of getting her angry, of giving a fresh rush of fuel to the smoldering embers of her weakening spirit. "No Miko-sama, we are not done until I say so."  
  
She looked up at him a moment, surprised at the unforgiving tone in his comment, before looking down at the hand that grasped her. She had to get away from him soon. She wanted to take that hand, to kiss it, hold it in her own, press it to her face. But fear once again stayed her hand. She looked down at the ground whispering her request, "Please Sesshoumaru-sama, let me go."  
  
He cursed mentally, she was retreating again! He had one last thing he would try to get some reaction out of her, anger or otherwise. Anything but this shy obedience that he knew was not in her nature. I did not want to do this, he thought with mild disgust, though not as much as he had expected.  
  
So while she remain standing there, willing herself to remain silent, he spoke, "Kagome..." She looked up at him again another kind of surprise decorating her youthful features. He had said her name, softly, quietly. "You should not hide your true self," ...almost affectionately. Then Sesshoumaru took her chin in his clawed hand before covering her lips with his.   
  
Her body stiffened with shock as she looked into his half-lidded amber depths. Then for a second she felt utter relief and joy and allowed herself to relax into the kiss, butterfly eyelashes fluttering closed over her eyes, brushing against his smooth skin. This thing that she had longed for, that she thought she would never feel again, was happening. Her hands came up to his chest gripping the fabric there, barely pulling him down towards her.  
  
Then the few seconds of blissful ignorance ended. An image flashed though her mind. Sesshoumaru grabbing her, taking the attack meant for her, the wound that would slow him down enough to cause his demise. Then later as his poison claws dug deeply into Naraku's form so too did Naraku's dig into to him. The miasma infecting his body though not as quickly as his poison melted Naraku's. Then there he was dying in her arms, the miasma staining the ground so that nothing would grow where he died. The corrosive darkness that would attempt to marr his beatiful features after his death. Kagome's powers that, only because she refused to leave his side, would purify the miasma so that his grave would not be so tainted as the site of his death. His grave...   
  
His death...  
  
His blood...   
  
on her hands...  
  


***

  
  
He felt her stiffen initially. Then for a moment she relaxed, kissing him back, and it was dizzying. He was surprised at how good this felt, he had not expected to enjoy that which he had never wanted to do. When she pulled on him his hand moved from her face into her raven tresses and some part of him marvelled at how silky and smooth it was. In that second he closed his eyes, loosing himself to this sensation. Her taste, her smell, the way her hair felt through his fingers, they way her small hands clung to him as though she would die without him. The moment lasted an eternity, and every faucet of his being told him that it should never end, that he wanted more.   
  
Then suddenly blissful eternity ended far too soon. He felt her stiffen and gasp again. Fear and sorrow surged through her as she pushed him off, only succeeding because he allowed it.  
  
He was, once again, surprised to see wide fear-filled eyes staring at him, not shock, no anger, no passion. Just fear. Her shakey delicate fingers touched her lips. She shook her head slightly, this time finding no voice to speak with. Then she turned and ran.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
Job, broken computer, Job, new harddrive, comp fixed, Hellsing Box Set, dad's Hard drive slaved to my new one..(Dad get YOUR computer fixed!!!), Job, finally got old one slaved in and got all my writing stuff and notes back WOOHOO!!  
  
I have most of the Next Chapter for this done already.. can't say much for my other stories though.... 


	7. Ch 6 The Punishment for the Crime

Do we honestly have to do through this again? Fine I don't own IY or any of them k? K.

**Twist of Fate**

An Inu Yasha Fanfic by Hika-chan

**Chapter 6: Punishment For The Crime**

            A trail of stars followed her path, lighting the ground in their own small way. The trailed off her cheeks and seemed to float behind her as she ran. _Baka!_ she screamed at herself, _Baka baka baka!_ She should never have stayed! She should have tried to run the second she knew where she was. But she hadn't, and now... now she knew why. She had so deeply wanted just to be near him, to see him, to love him, even if it was in this way that was completely unknown and meaningless to him, that she was willing to risk the pain, the pain of longing and the torture of unrequited love. Kagome now knew she should have swallowed her heart, buried her feelings and moved on with her life as it was.

            But she hadn't. She had been stupid and now he would likely pay for it. She prayed that it wouldn't happen but... but.. He kissed her! He kissed her... and that meant that she hadn't changed anything! That meant that he would die again.. didn't it? So now she cried, cried and ran over the moonlit ground from the thoughts that plagued her mind and the feelings that haunted her heart. However nothing could take the images away from her. Not even when she tripped, the black curtain of her hair trailing behind her providing a new canvas for her tears. With no strength to find within herself, even to think, she curled her arms under her head and simply lay there, weeping.

***

            Sesshoumaru stood in the hall where she had left him, analyzing for a moment the reaction both the woman and himself the simple meeting of lips had caused. Then her scent and footsteps began to fade too much after a minute. Slowly he began to follow after her, his steps gradually increasing in their frequency once he realized she had left the protective walls of his home. It was not long before he was in a full fledge run. What was wrong with her!? Running off into the woods in the middle of the night she could get killed! As soon as he thought this he wondered why he cared. Before he could even cast the thought aside he saw her.

            She lay on the forest floor like a broken doll, patches of blue moonlight decorating the simple kimono she wore. Her body trembled with quiet sobs and he wondered at the feeling that pounded in his chest at the sight and sound of her tears again. Did he pity this creature... this woman? No. Pity was not something he felt often, but he knew this was not it. It was... it was... He was not sure but he did not want her to cry, he was sure of that. Was it because it made him feel uncomfortable, or was because she was feeling bad and he did not want that? Why did he care?

            "It is dangerous out here at night," he said simply, "We should go back to my home for now." He noticed her body stiffen a moment when he spoke before another few shudders came upon her. Sesshoumaru bit back a sigh and knelt beside her feet. "Now get up," oddly enough it did not sound like much of a command. He reached his hand down and grasped her ankle.

            Kagome's eyes immediately flashed open as her mind, to tired to keep anything at bay, flashed back to that horrible night. At night that she could no longer remember how long ago it was, but was far too recent. Her scream pierced the silent night air as her she instinctually kicked at her would be attacker. The prince silently cursed, surely she would lure other youkai with the sound. He moved quickly and had her pinned face down on the ground before her first scream echoed back to them. Now he sat with her body stock still beneath him. She lay there eyes wide open, barely breathing, tears streaking from the corners of her eyes.

            He froze. Gone was the hopelessness and pain she had been feeling before, now all there was panic and fear. Her fear so thick the air was saturated by it. He could smell it, feel it, taste it, almost _see_ it. Suddenly all the pieces fell into place. The wounds she held, the one on her side and the self inflicted. Her change in clothes, her fear of contact, her sudden shyness and meekness. Her lost purity. Why hadn't he seen it before? It all made sense now.

            She had been raped.

            Slowly, carefully, so as not to startle her, he backed off her. His mind traveling back to the last time he had found a woman like this in his lands.

~*~*~

            He had found the woman sitting in the woods crying and holding her ripped clothes tightly to her bruised body in the late afternoon, a time when most humans would be returning to their homes to seek shelter from those like himself who came out and hunted in the night. She looked up at him and recoiled a second, only to be surprised as he removed his outermost shirt and hand it to her. "A..arigato." She looked up at him, his stoic expression and cold exterior only seemed to assure her that he was not interested in her.

            "Follow me," he said plainly, and the woman did so, too much in shock and shame to disobey the coolly spoken order. As he walked her through the woods he noted the scent of her attacker. He stopped before a stream of water and pointed to it, "You should clean up." The woman once again nodded and did as he said, grateful that the tall and quiet man turned his back to her actions. When she was done his white shirt was returned to him, her yukata was not quite as damaged as she had thought. "I will escort you to your village."

            For some reason the woman failed to recognize the fact that the samurai who found her had white hair and pointed ears, she was far too grateful to register his golden eyes and facial markings. And so she led the youkai to her village, moments before she was to turn and thank him he continued on his way past her, following the scent of the lowly creature that would stoop to such a crime. Confused the victim followed him barely noticing the stares her fellow villagers were giving the pair.

            Sesshoumaru calmly walked up to a rowdy group of men sitting on a bench drinking sake. He walked up behind the one he knew to be guilty. He continued laughing as his friends stopped, one by one. "You. Stand up." The woman was horribly confused, how did he know?

            "What the? Who the hell are you?" 

            Had he not been so disgusted by the being before him, for he was too lowly to be referred to a 'man' in his eyes, Sesshoumaru might have been amused at his naiveté'. "Stand. Now."

            The man suddenly saw his victim behind the lord and stood pointing, "What did the little bitch tell you!?" The woman flinched back in fear as a fresh bout of tears came from her eyes.

            The man's shouting did not get much of a chance to continue as Sesshoumaru lifted him off the ground by the throat, whit long white tail unwound and threw all the creature's friend's to the ground before they had even fully stood. "I, the youkai lord of these Western Lands, did not need her to tell me anything," he said in a dark yet monotonous tone. "I know you for what you are, a despicable creature who is not worthy of even the term 'man'." Sesshoumaru's other hand was pulled back a green glow forming around it as he put it up to the man's face. The attacker's mouth opened and closed as his lungs screamed for air as Sesshoumaru slowly lowered him to the ground. The moment his clawed hand left his throat the man's lungs took in a grateful breath of air, only to inhale the corrosive floral poison that was held before his face.

            The man's moment of relief was quickly taken from him as his chest erupted in pain, as the sweet smelling air he had breathed in began to melt away his lungs. Sesshoumaru's hand was kept before the face as the creature inhaled again the corrosion beginning to show on his face, melting skin and bone, green and red come up out of his mouth as he fell over, green veins tinting his skin. Letting go the youkai shoved the creature to the ground as the body twitched and spasmed further. He looked up then for the first time registering the villagers who had gathered in curiosity, but stayed in horror. "Take the body outside the village and leave it to the crows. From now on such will be the penalty for rape in my lands." As simply as that Sesshoumaru walked out of the village as quietly as he had come.

~*~*~

            She suddenly felt warm and safe, pulled up against something warm and sturdy. She curled into it knowing without a doubt that while in this place the world was perfect and she would come to no harm. And so comfortable and secure when the rocking motion began she fell easily asleep

***

            Sesshoumaru carefully lifted Kagome into his arm, his tail aiding in the process and also keeping her warm. It was so strange, it seemed as though suddenly she was contented.. in his arms? Why? That didn't seem to make sense, but then again since when did anything that the miko did make sense? It did not make sense for her to make sense. As absurd as that sounded it was true. But why did she feel this way with him? There still had to be some reason. He did not coddle her, was not nice to her, he threatened her, annoyed her, and stared her down.

            Wait could that be it? Given what had happened to her most others would turn around and treat her kindly with kid gloves. Be extra nice and not let her alone and not give her anything to do. They would do it all for her and treat her different. But he had not. But still, why feel safe with him? Was it because his half brother had failed to protect her? But how would that transfer her faith onto him?

            He pushed the door open to his room, he took her there because perhaps because he felt comfortable and by extension so would she. He lay her down on the bed and went to move away only to find the she had latched onto his clothing. He sighed picking her up again and moving her further over onto the bed and lying beside her. He should not have worried so much about room, for the young miko practically glued herself to his side. He stiffened slightly then relaxed as his rebellious hand began to stroke her hair. _Why is she so comfortable with me?_ he wondered his eyelids slowly closing and opening again. _She probably doesn't even realize it's me she's clinging to._ He rationalized. _But why does she feel like..._ The thought did not continue for a while and his eyes continued to drift shut and his fingers slowed in their continuous path through her raven hair. _Why does it seem like she's right where she belongs_... was the last not completely conscious thought the Western Lord had before he was pulled into the gentle embrace of sleep just like the girl next to him...

~~~~

Hika-chan: Ok well personally I think this sux compared to what I originally had written for the chapter, which was basically the same thing but the computer died on me and I had to write the whole thing over again. I'm pretty sure some of you out there know what that's like. I think it was originally longer to.. but I can't remember... And if that flashback doesn't answer some questions I don't know what will.


	8. Ch 7 Trust Me

The little chibi thing that is otherwise known as Hika-chan has no ownership over any characters in Inu Yasha, but she does someday plan to take over the world so she will eventually own Japan which will cover the locations :)

**Twist of Fate**

By Hika-chan

**Chapter 7: Trust Me With Your Open Wounds**

            As consciousness slowly came upon her, she thought she was dreaming even though she could not see anything. Even with her eyes closed she should not be feeling this safe, this content, this warm. But for now it felt too good for her to question it, she had not felt this way since the attack. Always paranoid, watching the shadows for every little movement. But here, wherever that was, she knew was she was safe, and so she had qualms about indulging further into this while she had the chance. So the young miko curled up closer to her firm, warm support, as sleep claimed her once again.

            When she wriggled closer the inu youkai awoke and became fully aware of the situation. Golden eyes opened slowly, almost warily, as though he did not want the young woman beside him to know he was also conscious. Apparently though there was no need, he could tell that the contentment that washed over her was synonymous with a peaceful sleep. He bit back a sigh and cocked his head to the side to get a better look on the miko who was clinging to him more so than Rin ever had. He was quite curious as to how she had managed to get tangled up and buried under his tail, which was likely a large cause for her comfort. 

            Kami he hoped that was it.

            Or most of him did anyway, a small part of him was glad she was content, and an even smaller part, one that he wasn't even sure _existed_, was glad she was content _with him_. Peering down at the girls face a clawed hand gently moved her bangs aside so he could see her closed eyes and relaxed expression. She was so strange... an odd little human thing with strange habits and great power. She was weak. She was strong. She was unsure. She was stubborn. She was compassionate. She was pure. There were so many words he could find to describe the girl, some of them opposing, but none of them, not a single word alone could describe her. She was... Kagome.

            It was as simple as that. But again it wasn't simple. How could someone be so utterly difficult to describe? Are all creatures so hard to label? Let's see, he was Sesshoumaru, the cold youkai lord of the western lands. Ok that was easy enough. Then there was Rin: the little human girl that was his ward. Jaken: his loyal, sometimes useful, yet bumbling retainer. Inuyasha: his foolish, impulsive hanyou half-brother. Kagome: The human miko. That seemed too simple.. it seemed _wrong_ to simply describe her as such.

            Kagome: The miko reincarnation of Kikyou. No, that didn't work either. Somehow comparing her to the now undead priestess was wrong also.

            Kagome: The human miko-woman who travels with Inuyasha. No.

            Kagome: The protector of the Shikon no Tama... closer

            Kagome: Inuyasha's wench... Hell no.

            The girl with a spirit of fire...

            The woman who slept so peacefully beside him now.

            Sesshoumaru tore his thoughts away from the subject, well more the subtopic. His earlier question about the miko's behavior had been answered now the question remained as to how he would go about solving this puzzle and returning her to her former self. Ideas were already forming in his head when a thought suddenly struck him. Why did he care? He sighed, the _why_ wasn't the real question though, it was _when_ and _how_. Apparently at some point he had come to have some feeling for this woman... what feeling that was he was not sure. But he was comfortable beside her as she with him, or more _because _she was comfortable with him. 

            A sigh escaped his lips, he could not wait for the miko to awaken, he had things to do. Slowly he began to gently pry himself from the sleeping miko's grasp. After several minutes and whimpers from the young woman he succeeded. He was about to leave when he stopped, casting a simple spell before walking out the door to his chambers. It was one he had used before, now when Kagome was going to wake up he would know.

            It would be several hours before Sesshoumaru sensed the stirrings of her consciousness.

***

            Darkness pervaded her senses, and for the first time in forever she did not feel fear of it. She did not fear a lurking shadow would pounce upon her and do unspeakable things to her captive form. To the contrary she felt embraced by it. The cool darkness kept at bay the burning harshness of light that would reveal it's otherwise mysterious face. So she was content to keep her eyes shut as consciousness crept upon her.

            A door opened somewhere in the darkness, she could hear it but not see; her mind refused to register its meaning. She felt the shadows she lay on shift beneath her. Something made contact with her arm, its warmth seeping through her sleeve and into her skin. It was strange how her mind saw the warmth as a soft light. The area of the warmth grew and the soft light from it registered in her mind as the shape of a hand. Some part of her awareness spread, temperature and youki traveling up the arm alighting in her mind the softly glowing form that sat on the bed beside her. A soft whisper escaped her lips, contended and amazed, "angel..." The miko was still unwilling to sacrifice her consciousness to the waking world.

            "Kagome," the voice was deep, soft and gentle like the dark. But some part of her knew that the latter two didn't normally seem to fit with the voice she had heard. It was so out of place that her mind almost failed to register the voice as familiar. "Kagome..." A male voice, Dad?.. no he was long gone. Souta? Too young. Inuyasha? Not deep enough. Miroku? No the hand was on her arm...

            The youki she had been sensing finally began to register to her as such, familiarity pulled at her mind. As it did so the softly glowing figure in her minds eye began to take on a more defined form. "Kagome, wake up."

            Lazy blue eyes opened granting her the sight that she had recently expected to see, Sesshoumaru sat beside her on the bed, hand on her arm. She had been curled up on her side and lay so that she was facing him. "Good morning Sesshoumaru-sama," she murmured somewhat sleepily.

            He almost grinned, "It would be, were it morning. The day is already half gone."

            She carefully pushed herself up, cautious of her wounds that seemed to hurt a little more today. "How is that?" she asked, "Did I really sleep that long."

            "It would appear so."

            She now sat up fully, legs curled up under her, she reached up a hand and began to rub the sleep from her eyes as a yawn left her mouth. The youkai watched her, there were times when she so resembled Rin. He reached over and took hold of her collar. The miko immediately recoiled from his touch, holding her kimono shut. "What are you doing?" she asked quietly and a little scared.

            Sesshoumaru pulled back and held her liquid gaze with his own. "I have come to a decision." He paused as the fear in her eyes began to fade out into confusion. What decision could he have made that warranted him removing her clothes? She did not see love in his eyes, nor hungry lust, so what the hell was he thinking? Just as impatience began to find it's way into her eyes he continued. "I have decided that I want you to trust me."

            The teen blinked, stared, blinked, "I'm sorry what?"

            "You tore your wounds open some last night when you ran off," he stated matter-of-factly, apparently changing the subject. "I need to change your bandages." Kagome looked down at herself, suddenly realizing that she was wearing the same thing she had last night, and that she had some grass and dirt stains on her. Once again the youkai reached up and took hold of the kimono's collar and stopped. When she shyly nodded her assent he continued, Kagome was glad that she had been wearing her bra, she never would have allowed this happen were she not. _Besides_, she reasoned, _if he was going to do anything he could have done it last night_. She smiled lightly at the slight confusion in his gaze when he saw her bra but he immediately dismissed it and went about treating her injury.

            Blood had seeped through the bandage again, and even some into her kimono. The outfit, he realized, was probably ruined but that did not really concern him either. He put one of his fingers under the bandages and sliced through it. He gingerly and deftly removed the layers and carefully pealed off the pieces that had stuck to her wounds from dried blood. Sesshoumaru shook his head almost imperceptivity, "I should have changed these last night."

            He pulled up a bowl of water and a rag, that until now the miko had failed to notice, and began to clean off the wound. After some long silence that did not seem to be all that long Sesshoumaru spoke again, "You are lucky," he said, his voice breaking the trance Kagome had let herself fall into, "It has not become infected."

            Kagome gave him an indignant look, "Of course its not. I do know how to take care of injuries. I would have to."

            The youkai suppressed a smirk, "The hanyou gets wounded that often?"

            Kagome snorted and immediately regretted it because the action moved her injury in a mildly painful way. "You should know, you cause half of them." There was bitterness in her voice and the conversation ceased as the youkai began to dress her injuries with fresh bandages. Sesshoumaru allowed himself to accept the fact that he held some concern and feeling for this human, and the fact that she now trusted him (at least to some extent) brought him some peace. Now it was no longer a wonder to him why his brother accepted her presence. Though why she tolerated Inuyasha's was still a complete mystery to him. Either way the youkai concluded that he would like this miko woman to be his ally... he was still trying to figure out if he would want her as a _friend_. 

            Being emotionally attached to another being in anyway was once not so foreign a concept to Sesshoumaru, but he had been... out of practice in that area for several decades now. At least a good six or seven decades, with the exception of Jaken and Rin. Rin had made him feel many things he had forgotten, and many new things he had never known of. The child was nearly as his own. He would hate to lose her. And whether he had known it or not the toad had helped him retain the bare minimum of the little habit of caring. But Jaken did not expect more attention than what was given to him. He did not ask to be helped, to be fed, to be clothed. Jaken did not need him. Not like Rin did. True Rin did not ask these things of him either, she simply followed and he provided. But there were times when she did ask. Ask with her eyes and her smiles, never with words and rarely if ever did she complain if she did not receive what she asked for.

            It was odd for him to realize that Kagome seemed the same way. Right now, for whatever reason, there was something she was unable to deal with and she needed him. She did not ask but every movement, every glance and step showed it. To top it off, for whatever reason, he wanted to be there for her. Like he wanted to be there for Rin, like he wanted Jaken's service (and occasionally his company), though these were things he would never admit to anyone aloud. He did not think the woman weak for not fully being able to handle it. Sesshoumaru knew he would never have to worry about being violated in such a way, but he imagined it would not be an easy thing to recover from. It had been hard for him, as a pup, to deal with his mother's death and the helplessness he had felt at the time. And he had smelled and sensed her emotions in this time, so similar and so very different then his had been at the time. And the same feeling clenched his gut then as it did now when she cried.

            His hands paused for barely an instant as the thought struck him. Was that the reason he did not like crying? Something to do with his mother? And why was it only tears? The saltwater of the sea never affected him in such a way, so why this? There must be something about crying specifically that did this to him. His thoughts were cut off as he realized he had finished with the bandages. 

            After the silence had fallen upon them Kagome had stared off into some random direction, hands clenching the fabric of her half-on kimono. _It's__ ok he's not going to do anything to you,_ she repeated to herself over and over at first. Bizarre reasons popping into her mind as reassurances. It wasn't until one of his hands brushed her skin that she realized she had been looking blankly at his forehead. A slight shift of her gaze and she found herself looking at amber eyes that were focused yet not on the physical task before him. She saw brief flashes of emotion course through his eyes like static sparks and found herself wondering what he was thinking about.

            Why was he helping her? Why did he want her to trust him? What was going on behind that mask he wore? She notice the moment in which he paused and immediately noticing the barest change in his demeanor after it. Whatever thought that struck him seemed to bring him pain, how she knew this she wasn't sure, but she did. There seemed a tint of sadness on the edges of his eyes. The corners of his lips were a millimeter more down, his shoulders a little less straight. Maybe she was imagining all the signs but what caused it really was there.

            He stopped and looked up at her. The miko must have been watching him because when gold met stormy blue he saw many emotions swirling within them. She felt... pity... for him? His mind told him that he did not need her pity, it was a worthless thing, a kind of disrespect. But he did not find himself getting angry over the fact. Instead he found her more intriguing. This poor wounded creature, regardless of the hurt she felt, was worried over the smallest bit of sadness an ancient memory had caused him. Perhaps it was empathy. A small hand reached up to touch his face, her first and middle finger contacting on the tips of the marks on the left side of his face and traveling back. His gaze immediately softened, she was trying to comfort him? _Such a foolish thing she is to worry about me when her own pain was far more potent_. Oddly this thought was not accompanied by contempt but with a kind of endearment. A useless gesture, like Rin with her flowers, that was made all the more meaningful with it's simplicity.

            "Do not worry for me," he said quietly so as not to startle her by breaking the silence as the youkai gently took hold of her hand and removed it from his face.

            She smiled sadly and shook her head, "It seems I am not the only one who has reopened old wounds."

            "They are wounds that have long since become scars that you worry for." 

            She folded her hands in her lap, the sleeves and shoulders of her kimono bunched around her elbows. "Wounds on the heart and soul take so much longer heal. Sometimes we don't even realize they are still open until someone pokes them."

            Sesshoumaru's gaze shifted a moment in thought as he nodded almost imperceptivity, "You sound as though you speak from experience." She nodded. "You are a very strange creature Kagome."

            A short laugh escaped her lips and she grinned, "You have no idea."

            "I am sure I have a better idea than you think," he said standing, "There is a clean yukata for you there, I shall send a servant to bring you to the dinning hall, you are no doubt in need of food."

            Despite the fact that his voice held no emotion Kagome could tell that he held genuine concern for her welfare. "Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama."

            He paused by the door. "You are very welcome Kagome-san."

-----------------------------------------

**Hika-chan**: Sappy? Yeah I know worth waiting for? Well you guys have to tell me. I've been dealing with major writers block. and umm.. yeah I'm sure there are other things I was gonna write here... but I forget now.. yep.. ok! Bai.

**Shippo**: *looks at her* boy are you spacy...

**Hika-chan**: First: I'm a girl and Second: Yes yes I am.

next chapter.... god knows....


	9. Ch 8 See The Future See the Past

**Hika-chan**: Hi hi! I meant to get this up sooner but.. well I still don't have my own internet and I was too lazy to walk to the computer lab. (ok well I did a couple times but this either wasn't ready or I forgot to put it on a disk. More details in the rant on the bottom….  
Oh yeah, in case you didn't know status for upcoming chapters for all my fanfics can be found in my profile.

-Little wing-ed Hika-chan claims no ownership of the characters involved in this story… the story on the other hand… : )

**Twist of Fate**  
An Inuyasha Fanfic by Hika-chan  
**Chapter 8: See The Future, See The Past**

  
  
It had come back to her when she was changing. She had forgotten again, the future-past had been lost to her memory while he was near. At the time when she needed to remember it most, Kagome had forgotten. Some peace came upon her though when she replayed the events in her mind, one strikingly obvious detail she noticed, something she had previously learned to identify was not in his eyes.  
  
Sesshoumaru was not in love with her.  
  
This thought brought her great joy and sorrow at the same time, for she was still convinced that were he to love her he would die. And though this logic meant his life would be saved, it was far too late for her heart. She put a hand to her side, the wounds upon her flesh were the least of her problems, the least painful. She had to leave, she should, she must...  
  
He wanted her trust.  
  
Of course he had it long before he asked it of her, though technically he did not ask, he just told her his want of it. Would he know he had it if she told him she wanted to leave, that she had to... After a few moments thought she knew it would not be a hard sell, but she had to leave, before they became closer than they already were. She made her way to the dinning hall, perhaps he would be there? If not she still needed to eat.  
  
As it turned out Sesshoumaru was absent from the room, only Rin and Jaken were present. The toad seemed completely worn out from his long shift as babysitter. Perhaps she would spend some time with Rin today and give Jaken a break. The teen almost laughed at herself, she was beginning to feel sorry for Jaken! She really had been here too long.  
  
Yes, too long indeed and she had to remember why. She sighed as she sat down, was she getting so air headed that she was going to have to write herself a note? Kami she had only been here what… ten days? "Hello Rin," she said. The girl simply responded with a wave of her hand as she was currently chewing what appeared to be more than she could handle. Kagome simply smiled at her and began on some soup as it was placed in front of her. "Rin, would you like to draw with me after we eat?"  
  
Nodding vigorously the girl finally swallowed her food. "Yes Kagome-neechan I would like that very much."It had been a long time since Kagome had written with a brush, her strokes were a little bit clumsy, but still better than they used to be when she was young. She wasn't sure she had ever drawn with a calligraphy brush before either. She wished she could have shown Rin some crayons and pencils, but her pack was… well wherever her friends were. She smiled as she painted with Rin, her ominous note under her pile of rice paper mostly forgotten in the absence of the lord of the castle. After some time a servant came and informed the girls that it was time for Rin's bath. Kagome told Rin to go on ahead and she would clean up. She cleaned up the ink and stacked all the pictures, Rin's on top, hers on the bottom and the note between them. The Miko left the writing tools in the room, having already been told that a servant would see to them being put where they belong.  
  
She walked down the quiet halls, somewhat curious of where Sesshoumaru had been all day, but she was not surprised that she had not seen him since she woke up. She sighed quietly to herself as she walked down the hall, she had to stop thinking about him so much, "Not that I can really do anything about that," she muttered bitterly as she opened her door.  
  
"About what?"  
  
The miko jumped at the deep voice, dropping the papers about her feet. "About my clumsiness apparently," she said to the youkai, carefully kneeling down to pick up the papers. "So what brings you around this neck of the castle Sesshoumaru-sama?" When he did not answer she turned her face up to look at him, surprised to see him descending. _Is he going to help me pick all this up?_ "You don't have to help me Se-" She stopped he began to rise again, a single slip of paper in his hands, and a slight raise of his eyebrow.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
Kagome froze, instantly recognizing the paper he had picked up. Her mouth opened and shut a few times, but she had no words and her body would not let her lie when it was obviously not going to work.  
  
Sesshoumaru saw that he had her, soon some of his other questions about her earlier babblings were about to be answered. "Death and I are mentioned on the same piece of paper," he mused matter of factly. "Why?" he asked not taking his eyes from the little note. _'I must remember, Sesshoumaru will die if he loves me.'_ After a few more seconds of Kagome's speechlessness he looked to her. "What makes you think that will come to pass?" _Either my death or my love._  
  
She was stuck, what could she say? There was no way around it. What lie could she concoct that he would believe? Oh she had been so stupid! If only she had written "he" instead of "Sesshoumaru" then she might've had something to go with, like a writing story. But noooo, she had to go and use his whole freakin' name didn't she? She looked up at him, surprised that she found no trace of anger or fear in his eyes. She couldn't quite decipher what she saw though, perhaps it was morbid curiosity? What does one feel when a portion of their fate lies before them to read in simple paper and ink? She could only look at him for a long time, a wide array of fearful and worried emotions upon her face. And all the while he just looked back, patiently awaiting her answer.  
  
"Because…" she finally heard herself saying, "I saw it."  
  
"My death?"  
  
"I not only saw it," she muttered, barely cutting herself off from calling him koishii, "I lived it." The western lord simply raised a brow as a question. Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat. "If you would like to sit down, I do not know how long this will take to explain."  
  
The two moved into the room and he did as she bid, a part of him content that she trusted him enough to tell him whatever it was she was about to share. Something he was sure that most people (and possibly even himself) would find crazy or difficult to believe.  
  
"Two nights before you brought me here, I… had a dream or vision I suppose. But it wasn't an ordinary vision with convoluted symbols or anything. I lived it. Some things have changed though I'll admit. For example last time you took me I had walked off, angry at Inuyasha earlier in the day. I ran into you, which had to mean you were following us." Though he made no outward reaction Sesshoumaru was surprised to hear this, so far the miko was right. "I was still… suicidal at that point and I practically dared you to kill me and tried to stare you down." She laughed a little at herself, "And instead of waking up dead, I woke up here. If you even noticed, I'm sure you found it odd that I knew my way around your entire compound without asking." Indeed he had noticed, "Except of course for the last door on the third floor of the east wing, which though rather close to the frequented library is forbidden," She looked over at his slightly widened eyes and smiled, "One thing you told me then, that you did not now. Of course last time… well I guess we'll refer to it as a vision for simplicity's sake. In the vision you had to tell me about that, I kept trying to escape. My attempts to do so led me all around this bloody castle looking for anything that could help me escape, any tool I could use, so you made sure I knew it was not permitted. I'm not sure if you were more amused or annoyed, but you didn't kill me…  
  
"But there was one time I was almost positive you were going to. I don't remember what led me there, whether it was idle wanderings or plans to escape or just seeking a quiet place, I know I didn't mean to go in, it was just a door I happened to open and I walked in."  
  
"The room…" Sesshoumaru offered.  
  
The miko nodded, "The forbidden room. I had expected it to be a treasury, an armory, a memorial… but instead it seemed more like a museum. In fact it was so unlike what I had expected that I didn't even realize I was in that room. I'm sure if you went there now you would not smell a trace of me, I haven't been there the whole time I've been here. But I looked at everything then, swords, armor, a kimono, and tapestries. Then I saw it, a tall mirror, taller than you I remember thinking. I touched the frame, the gold inlaid tail of the phoenix, and my reflection started to change, to ripple. There were shapes, that were slowly becoming clear…" she turned her downcast eyes up at the youkai before her, "That was when I heard you growling." She shuddered slightly and moved her arms to hold herself. "I'll never forget the moment I saw you. Your eyes were red, I could see the youki violently swirling around you. I thought I was going to die, I thought you were going to kill me. And for some reason in that moment, dying started to scare me again. And everything went black, I would not have been surprised then had I never woke up again." She paused and bit her lip, but looked up at him again before continuing. "But I woke up two days later with a massive headache. I don't know what you did, I didn't even see you move. And to be honest at the time I was too surprised to be alive to even think about it.  
  
"After that, things started to change, I don't know when or how but…" She laughed, "Next thing I knew we were… friends, and then." Shy eyes turned to the youkai lord, but quickly turned away, "And then we were more than that.."  
  
She laughed at the expression Sesshoumaru gave her, obviously very surprised that in any world they would end up together. But then again was it so hard to believe? I mean he already like her, for a human of course, but still as a potential mate? Or… he glanced curiously at the miko. No he wouldn't even ponder whether or not they had mated in her vision.  
  
"All in all I was here a month before Inuyasha and the others showed up." She continued, skipping the details, "However before anything could be cleared up, hell before things even got all that violent between you two… Naraku showed up. The fight… the fight was hard. And…we all," at this point the miko's voice kept getting caught in her throat and her eyes began to burn. "We all were hurt some. I… I had a cut on my leg… and I wasn't moving all that well. Naraku he lunged at me and… and Inuyasha was too far away and…" The first of her tears broke loose and traveled down her cheeks, "And you jumped in front of me. Naraku's claws cut into your chest… and you were slower now and… the next minute I saw the two of you with your _hands in each other's chests._  
  
"You killed him Sesshou, you won the battle for us but…the miasma, it was too much Sesshou... You died. You knew it. I held you, and you told me to be strong. You told me you loved me… and you died. Just like that you died." She looked up at him tears blurring her vision. "We buried you. Why did you die on me Sesshou?" The youkai was perhaps too surprised to move as the human girl flung herself at him, striking him in the chest once before pressing her face against him. "Why did you leave me Sesshou!? Why did you die!?" She choked on a sob, "Oh god, please tell me this is real. Please tell me I haven't gone insane. Sesshou?" The girl pulled back far enough to look at him, "Tell me the truth please, are you really here? Are you really alive?"  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded, almost automatically, "I am living and here before you Kagome."  
  
She smiled at him, though sadly, "Today would have been the day I looked in the mirror." The inu youkai simply nodded in response. The two sat there for neither knew how long, the miko half in his lap. Then one of her hands moved to balance herself on his thigh while the other went into his hair. Finally she leaned forward, taking his lips with her own. She poured everything into the kiss, every moment of pain and joy she could remember with him.  
  
For a moment Sesshoumaru gave no reaction, in fact given what he experienced in their last kiss he reacted less then he would have thought. Maybe it was all the information she had told him. Maybe it was the idea that he would die, or the idea that he could love her. Or was it that when he opened his mouth he could taste tears on her lips? The youkai lord's eyes opened barely an instant after they had shut. Gently he pushed her back by her shoulder, expecting to see her close to tears for his rejection. However he was surprised to see a reminiscent smile upon her face. "You should rest," he said carefully, "It has been a very stressful day for you."  
  
She nodded and backed away, "It's good to know you are real Sesshou. That means you're really alive."  
  
_And that seems to be all you really want?_ He wondered.  
  
"As long as you're alive Sesshou…" she seemed to give up at that point, as though finishing it with anything would make her sound too pathetic. And some part of her knew there was no way to end that sentence that would be wholly true.

  


  
  
The first place Sesshoumaru went after leaving the miko was to the room where allegedly everything had changed. It was odd to think of, a place where everything changed, but it hadn't happened yet. In fact it seemed it would never happen now at all. But it seemed as though some things were still fated to occur, such as him bringing her to his home. When he opened the door he could tell that none had done so in months and her scent was, of course, absent. _Hmmm…_ he thought for a moment _About twenty days until Inuyasha comes to collect her._ The youkai lord stopped in front of the mirror, the miko had been right it was taller than himself. _Twenty days until an altercation with Naraku... The final confrontation?_ One top and side of the ivory frame was the design of the gold inlaid phoenix and the other half was a silver inlaid dragon, a few gems dotted the frame, on the eyes of the creatures and the tails of the phoenix. _Ivory,_ he thought, reaching out to touch the solid white mass, _mother's fangs._  
  
Suddenly curious the youkai lord touched the phoenix tail where, given her height, he assumed Kagome had touched. He waited a moment…  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
As though to try and add some truth to her story Sesshoumaru ran his fingers along the frame, searching for some sign that the woman was not slowly going insane. He knew she had not been lying, she truly believed what she told him. _Why make such things up?_ He thought, _Why even fool oneself into believing them?_ As if to answer his question the mirror rippled as his fingers touched the claws of the dragon. Wide eyed the western lord watched and waited to see what would be shown to him. He saw what appeared to be the inside of a dilapidated building at night. Two men walked in wearing foreign clothes, as they spoke it seemed as if their voices were masked. "She should be in here," one voice said, the man who was not as far in, "the other side of this warehouse if I remember."  
  
"This isn't the kind of thing you forget ," the man's name was horribly distorted and unidentifiable to his ear, and both spoke in hushed tones.  
  
"You mean you can't sense her ? I thought you could at least do that."  
  
The one in the lead stopped and turned, seeming to give the other a look of some kind. "How can you joke about that now? This is serious!"  
  
"Lower your voice," the first one said, "You'll startle her."  
  
"Keh," the point man said half under his breath. For a while there was silence as the two men went further into the building. Then they came upon a form curled up in the corner. Sesshoumaru received a surprise as he heard the first name spoken "Kagome… Miss?" The one knelt beside her, he reached out to her and she cringed back "Miss are you alright? I'm not going to hurt you. Please let me help you." After a moment Kagome was crying into the man's shirt, "Shh.. shh... don't worry you'll be ok." The one picked her up before the other spoke again.  
  
"We're too late."  
  
"Yes, but you knew we would be didn't you?"  
  
"Take her to the hospital, I'll find the scum who did this."  
  
"Better not do anything to him without me there," the point man reminded.  
  
"I won't now hurry and get her help." The one holding her nodded again as the man with the deeper voice come closer. A hand placed itself tenderly on her forehead. "Sleep," he whispered.  
  
Then the image rippled the two men were standing before a third, their eyes glowing dangerously. The third at this point had already been roughed up and the taller of the two reached over and picked the man up by his throat. Another fade, this time to his past when Sesshoumaru punished the rapist in the town, then quickly the image went to Kagome.  
  
She was outside, the background was fuzzy, but there was lots of movement and she held her bow in her hands, he noticed blood on her right calf. Suddenly a mass of white rushed towards her, then it showed Naraku dissolving before his own bloodied frame in a mass of green and red smoke. Kagome ran to him as he fell, there was no sound as he watched her cry, watched himself reach out to her. That seemed to be all anyone was doing at that point. Watching. Even in the background he could see Inuyasha watching without a trace of satisfaction. _My death…_  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked, closing his eyes for a fraction then he saw himself as he was in the mirror. Kagome was walking in behind him, looking aimlessly at the various items in the room. He turned to say something, somewhat annoyed, but was greeted with an empty room. The mirror-Kagome walked through his image and touched the glass, she seemed to look up at him and smile. Then she began to inspect the mirror. By her reaction it was easy for him to pinpoint the moment in which she had activated it. _Why did it take this human girl to unlock both my parent's treasures? But... she hasn't yet._ Then he noticed he had changed, no longer was it his true reflection but the fear inspiring image the young miko had explained to him earlier, she turned, frightened and suddenly the image went black.  
  
Sesshoumaru was slightly annoyed that it had ended there as the mirror returned to normal. Something important happened after he had shown up, and somehow he did not think it had been anything he had done. Had he simply knocked the miko out she would not have slept for two days. So why did she have a headache when she awoke? Whatever happened directly affected her head, or perhaps her mind… He glanced at the phoenix tail where she had touched.  
  
Or her soul perhaps?  
  
He scowled as he turned away, _There are too many unknown factors. Too little to go on than just mere speculation._ He stopped at the door looking at the mirror, _I expect you to be more cooperative when I return._

* * *

**Hika-chan:** What can I say? I was tired of Sesshoumaru being in the dark. I know I know this chappy's as short as all hell too. And to be honest most of this stuff I made up as I was writing it. I have no idea when the next chapter of this story will come out as most of my writing time (when I do anyway) is going to be focused on finishing Once In A Blue Moon (Chapter 16 is about half finished as I'm typing this and I know what almost the entire rest of the chapter is going to consist of). And I know I originally planned on having more stuff involved with the present (the Detective and maybe Mrs. Higurashi) but I forgot about that a couple chapters back and now I have no idea what I was gonna do with that. So might or might not pick that up again.**Kagome:** So you're saying the next chapter is completely blank right now.  
**Hika-chan:** Uh-huh  
**Sesshoumaru:** and you have no idea when you'll get to it.  
**Hika-chan:** Yep  
**Inuyasha:** and you don't give a damn with what the rest of us are going through trying to find Kagome?  
**Hika-chan:** Well… it's not that I don't care.. it's just not important to the story and I don't have the energy to-  
**Inuyasha:** You're saying _I'M_ not important!?  
**Sesshoumaru:** Well I have to agree with her on that point  
**Inuyasha:** Goddammit It's MY name on the damn show! And my name at the top of each chapter!  
**Hika-chan:** b-b-but  
**Inuyasha:** See!? Look! "An _INUYASHA_ Fanfic!" Where's my screen time goddammit!?  
**Hika-chan:** Ok ok! I'll fix it next chapter I swear!  
**Inuyasha:** You damn well better! 


End file.
